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| Tropical cyclones in India | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tropical cyclones in India |
| Basin | North Indian Ocean |
| First | Antiquity |
| Strongest | 1999 Odisha cyclone |
| Fatalities | 19th–21st centuries: hundreds of thousands |
| Areas | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka |
Tropical cyclones in India are periodic intense tropical storms that affect the Indian subcontinent and adjacent coasts of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. They have shaped historical events, influenced urban and rural settlement patterns, and driven the development of meteorological institutions such as the India Meteorological Department and international collaborations like the World Meteorological Organization. Cyclones recur seasonally and have prompted national legislation, disaster planning by agencies such as the National Disaster Management Authority (India), and infrastructure adaptations in states including Odisha (state), Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
Tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean form principally in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, impacting coastal provinces from Gujarat to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and inland regions including Bihar and Jharkhand. The India-centric cyclone climatology ties to seasonal systems like the Southwest Monsoon and Northeast Monsoon, influenced by basin-wide phenomena such as the Indian Ocean Dipole and episodes of El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Key agencies for operational monitoring include the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Navy, and regional observatories in ports like Chennai and Visakhapatnam.
Historical records and chronicles from the Mughal Empire period through the British Raj document cyclones that caused large-scale mortality and economic disruption in centers such as Calcutta and Madras. The 1970 Bhola cyclone (primarily affecting East Pakistan) reshaped geopolitics leading up to the Bangladesh Liberation War, while the 1999 Odisha cyclone produced one of the deadliest modern impacts on Bhubaneswar and coastal Puri district. Other catastrophic events include the 1737 Calcutta cyclone, the 1864 Calcutta cyclone, the 1964 Rameswaram cyclone, and more recent powerful systems like Cyclone Amphan (2020), Cyclone Fani (2019), and Cyclone Phailin (2013). Each event influenced policy responses in institutions including the Ministry of Home Affairs (India) and regional authorities such as the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority.
Cyclone genesis in the region is linked to sea surface temperature anomalies near the Equator, low-level monsoon trough dynamics, and upper-level features like the Tropical Easterly Jet. The Bay of Bengal provides warm waters and high humidity conducive to rapid intensification, as seen in Cyclone Sidr and Cyclone Nargis (which also struck Myanmar). Seasonal timing peaks in the pre-monsoon (April–June) and post-monsoon (October–December) windows, modulated by the Monsoon trough (Northern Hemisphere) and steering by subtropical ridges near Himalayan circulation influences. Rapid intensification episodes have been documented via reconnaissance and satellite programs coordinated by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the World Meteorological Organization.
India's operational forecasting network centers on the India Meteorological Department which issues storm alerts and collaborates with institutions like the Indian Space Research Organisation for remote sensing, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services for ocean forecasts, and the National Disaster Management Authority (India) for coordination. Coastal observatories in Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, and Gujarat utilize Doppler radar installations and satellites such as INSAT series to track cyclogenesis. International data sharing occurs through platforms involving the World Meteorological Organization and bilateral ties with agencies like the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
State and national preparedness involves early warning dissemination, evacuation planning, cyclone shelters, and community outreach by bodies including the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and local municipal corporations in cities like Mumbai and Kolkata. Structural mitigation has included coastal embankments in Sundarbans, mangrove restoration initiatives inspired by studies on Sunderbans (biosphere reserve), and adoption of building codes promulgated by the Bureau of Indian Standards. Post-event response has drawn support from humanitarian actors such as the Indian Red Cross Society and international NGOs, mobilized under coordination frameworks led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (India).
Cyclones impose heavy costs on agriculture in regions such as Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, damage to infrastructure in ports like Visakhapatnam and Kandla, and disruptions to energy assets including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation installations and coastal thermal plants. Fisheries communities along the Coromandel Coast and Konkan Coast suffer stock and livelihood losses. Environmental consequences affect ecosystems like the Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, and Nicobar Islands, accelerating erosion, saline intrusion, and coral reef stress; these impacts have attracted attention from bodies such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Research by institutions including the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Indian Institute of Science, and international consortia indicates possible shifts in cyclone intensity, frequency, and tracks connected to anthropogenic climate change, with trends showing increased rates of rapid intensification and higher precipitation rates per event. Projections referenced in assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and national climate reports suggest altered seasonal windows and greater coastal vulnerability, prompting policy discussions within forums like the National Disaster Management Authority (India) and state planning commissions such as the Odisha State Planning Board.
Category:Weather events in India